Mike Piazza

Baseball Player

Born: 4 September 1968

Birthplace: Norristown, Pennsylvania

Best known as: Hard-hitting NY Mets catcher

Mike Piazza is an All-Star catcher and power hitter. He was drafted in the 62nd round of the 1988 amateur draft (the 1390th player overall); he beat the odds and made it to the major leagues, becoming the National League rookie of the year for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1993. In 1999 he signed a groundbreaking 7-year, $91 million contract with the New York Mets; the next year he helped the Mets into the World Series, where they were defeated by Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees. Piazza's burly good looks have made him one of the Internet's favorite sports heartthrobs.